Cream of the Crop

December 2005

Imagine this... Story Writing Contest - Regional Winners!
The 2005-2006 regional winners have been selected in the Foundation's story writing contest. This year, 46 regional winners from California are now vying for top statewide honors. The list of regional winners is available at the end of this message and on the CFAITC Web site. Statewide winners will be announced after the first of the year. Congratulations young authors!

What's Grown' On? California Agriculture--More Than You Can Imagine!
Teachers, request your free class set of the new edition of What's Growin' On? student newspaper. Targeted for fourth through eighth grade, topics include edible plant parts, weather, ancient civilizations, horticulture, avocados, and more! Activities incorporate Content Standards for California Public Schools. Orders will be shipped in January 2006.
Request California Agriculture--More Than You Can Imagine!

Healthy Eating Active Living Collaborative
Deadline: Dec. 12, 2005
Mini-grants up to $4,999 are available for short-term projects which utilize nutrition education to address childhood obesity, physical activity, or increased fruit and vegetable consumption. California counties eligible to participate include Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mono, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba. The target population includes school districts in which 50% or more of the students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program.
For more information, and to request an application, please contact Dawn Dunlap at 916/556-3344 ext. 137.

Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program
Deadline: Jan. 31, 2006
Training: Mar. 4-May 27, 2006 (13 Saturdays)
Cost: $100
Want to become a Master Gardener or school advisor? Los Angeles County residents who want to help teach low- and limited-resource individuals how to grow and eat more nutritious vegetables and fruits should apply to attend 13 classes this spring.
For more information, and to request an application packet, please contact Gloria Mitchell at 323/260-3348.

2nd Annual "Remember Me" Rose School Garden Awards
Deadline: Feb. 1, 2006
Schools or community organizations in the U.S. who garden with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18 can apply to establish rose gardens to commemorate the events of September 11th. Beyond their commemorative significance, each garden will also be a catalyst for education in conflict resolution and mediation skills, preparing students to seek and achieve fair and peaceful solutions. Twenty winning school gardens will each receive Messenger plant growth stimulant, 10 rose bushes from Edmunds' Roses, and educational materials from National Gardening Association.
For more information, and to apply, please visit www.kidsgardening.com

Young Epidemiology Scholars Research Project Competition
Deadline: Feb. 1, 2006
Epidemiology is the science of exploring patterns of disease, illness and injury within populations, with the goal of developing methods for prevention, control and treatment of the problem. Use agriculture as a theme to shed light on a health problem. Substantial scholarships are awarded to winners.
For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com.

A+ for Energy Grant and Scholarship Program
Deadline: Apr. 7, 2006
The A+ for Energy grant program provides $5,000 and $10,000 grants to K-12 teachers to assist them in teaching about energy and energy conservation. This year, $1.5 million is earmarked for California teachers. How does this relate to ag? The food chain and food webs, solar energy for greenhouses or agricultural biomass as a fuel source could be the start of many ideas for creative ag-related projects.
For more information, explore www.aplusforenergy.com or call 714/228-6760.